Big derby win for youngsters

Sunderland demolished rivals Newcastle in the youth derby with an inspired display on Tyneside.

Ross Holland (pictured) and Mikael Mandron both scored twice, with Callum Hope and George Honeyman also on target.

It was a remarkable turnaround with all six goals coming after Newcastle had taken an early lead.

The visitors started slowly and the hosts could have been two goals ahead in the first 10 minutes.

In the third minute, tall centre-forward Tom Heardman got through down the middle but fired high and wide when well placed.

The same player was at it again three minutes later, shooting over the bar from just outside the box.

The home pressure finally paid off in the eighth minute when Heardman headed the ball down into the body of keeper Joel Dixon, who couldn't hold at point-blank range and full-back Lewis Aird bundled the ball over the line.

However, the lead lasted only a minute as Sunderland roared back almost straight from the restart.

Honeyman dinked the ball over a defender's sliding tackle and was away to round the keeper and level.

The young Black Cats applied more pressure and took the lead 22 minutes in.

Tall striker Mandron, causing chaos in the Newcastle defence, twisted again to fire in a shot which keeper Freddie Woodman could only parry for Hope to turn the ball into the empty net.

They went further ahead just four minutes later when a Jassem Sukar set-piece was fired low into the corner by Holland.

And just two minutes later it was 4-1 when Hope crossed wings to take a corner and Mandron rose to head home at the near post.

Sunderland were rampant and notched a magnificent fifth goal 13 minutes into the second half when Mandron picked up a loose ball and drilled home an unstoppable left-footed shot from 22 yards out.

On 75 minutes the young Black Cats were awarded a penalty after sub Lynden Gooch was brought down, but Martin Smith stepped up to blast the penalty against the bar and away.

However, the visitors were not finished and, two minutes from time, Honeyman crossed low for Holland to be in the right place at the right time to force the ball home after Woodman had partially saved.

Coach Craig Liddle said afterwards: “We dominated the game after starting slowly. Newcastle could have been two up early on.

“But once we drew level we played really good attacking football to go on and win. Above all it was a magnificent team effort.”